PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks are removing Shaun Larkin from his role as the club’s third base coach, manager Torey Lovullo announced after Wednesday’s 3-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians.
The Diamondbacks are conducting a search for their next third base coach and will evaluate internal and external candidates for the role. The team has a day off on Thursday before returning to action on Friday at Chase Field against the Cincinnati Reds.
“ Shaun’s taken on a lot, it’s a big responsibility over there at third base,” Lovullo said. “I’ve tried to express to you guys the difficulties of it, but at this point in time, I just feel like the best thing for this ballclub, for him and for us moving forward is to make this decision.
“He had never coached third base before at this level and probably hadn’t done it in quite some time. So we were gonna give him a little bit of a runway, but it has just gotten to the point where I needed to make this decision.”
Lovullo said Larkin took the news well and showed accountability. He will continue to coach infield defense.
Larkin is in his first season as an on-field coach with the Diamondbacks after replacing longtime third base coach Tony Perezchica, who departed for a job with the Houston Astros last winter.
Larkin was Arizona’s director of player development in 2024.
His decisions as third base coach have been under scrutiny for much of the season with runners getting thrown out on the bases and others being held up when they could have scored. Lovullo could see his confidence had been shaken.
The final straw came during Wednesday’s game.
Alek Thomas was thrown out at home plate for the first out of the fifth inning with the top of the order due up. It was an odd play where Guardians center fielder Angel Martinez fell down, which led to the send, but the relay home was perfect. Arizona did not score during the frame and continued to trail Cleveland until Lourdes Gurriel Jr. homered in the ninth.
What a phenomenal relay all around from the Guardians to get Alek Thomas at the plate! pic.twitter.com/BS8JjoIQBB
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) August 20, 2025
The D-backs have had 18 runners thrown out at home plate this season. Only Tampa Bay (24) and Philadelphia (19) entered Wednesday with more than that.
Last year, the D-backs made eight outs at home, the third fewest in MLB.
It was not only the outs made at home plate but the potential runs that were held up. Jake McCarthy was held at third base over the weekend in Colorado on a play that Lovullo felt would have resulted in a run 70% of the time.
As for who could fill the role, Lovullo joked that he’d hold a competition similar to Arizona State head football coach Kenny Dillingham with his kicker last season.
“We have some internal candidates,” Lovullo said. “We have some extra candidates. I’ve been in the game a long time. I know a lot of really good baseball people. Mike (Hazen) does, (bench coach Jeff Banister) does. The inner circle of people that are making the decision clearly do. We’re gonna reach beyond that. We gotta figure this out pretty quick.”
Torey Lovullo announces that the Diamondbacks are looking for a new third base coach after pulling Shaun Larkin from the role. pic.twitter.com/HLA1Ovv0rp
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) August 20, 2025
